Illuminating-holder for automobile license-tags



H. J. MERKLE. ILLUMINATING HOLDER FOR AUTOMOBILE'LICENSE TAGS. APPLICATION FILED 1uu'22. 1920.

1,363,893 Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

UNITED STATES HARBIY J". MERKLE; 0F WOODSIDE, NEW YORK.

ILLUMINATING-HOLDER FOR AUTOMOBILE LICENSE-TAGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

Application filed July 22, 1920. Serial No. 398,129.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY J. MERKLE, a citizen of the United States, residin at Woodside, in the county of Queens and tate of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminating-Holders for Automobile License-Tags, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to illuminating display devices for automobiles, and pertains especially to illuminating license number plates for motor vehicles, whereby the same color in the numerals may be produced by day as by night.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and expeditiously operated holder and illuminator for license tags or plates capable of removably holding such plates therein with a light coloring and light diffusing plate between the license plate and the lights.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide light diffusion plates to produce license numbers at night in the various colors as is customary or required in various States. cities and territories, and utilize the same plates to show the same colors in the plate numerals by day.

Various other objects, advantages and improved results are attainable in the manufacture and practical application of the invention as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the hinged door open and the plates partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a cross section.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of part of a license plate and part of a diffusion plate showing the fabric backing as partly removed. V

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modification.

The same reference characters denote the same parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

It is well known in lighting or illuminating automobile license tags or plates having numerals cut therethrough that the electric light bulbs employed within a casing at the back of said plates will cause the particular numeral opposite said bulbs to show clearly while the other numerals are not clearly visible, that is to say, heretofore uniform lighting of all the numerals making up a license number has not been produced by reason of the numerals directly in front of the lights showing brilliantly and the other numerals having a very weak or subdued light. v

It is obviously desirable to have the day light showing of the license number in the same color as shown by night, this is accomplished without removing or changing the plates or operating the device except to omit the electric light.

in carrying out my invention, I employ a metal casin 1, having a closed end 2, and an open end closed .by a door 3 hinged as at a to the back of the closed casing. The front edges of the casing are bent or folded into members 5 so as to form channels or raceways 6, the closed end 2 is fastened to said members 5, with the tail frame 7 and its prism 8. secured adjacent the closed end, and said frame 7 has an inner flange 9 and an outer flange 10 forming a stop for the inner end of the plates, hereinafter particularly referred to.

The casing is provided with a concaved or semicircular reflector 11 having electric light bulbs as 12 connected with a suitable battery by wires 13. The door and the closed end are provided with .a colored prism 14. p

The outer face of the license plates 15 is finished in any color as may be required or desired contrasting with the colorof the numerals which are cut through the plates with one exception, that in order to show black numerals at night, the background of the plate is cut out leaving the numerals outstanding. All of said plates 15 are slidable into position on the front of the casing by means of the raceways 6.

In order to have the numerals of each license plate appear in proper and desirable color, I use a transparent colored glass plate 15, and such plate forms a backing for the license plate but is separate therefrom. In order to overcome the direct light rays centering more brilliantly through' certain numerals than others, and for the purpose of diffusing the light and increasing the volume of color, I cover the inner face of the glass plate 15 with a sheet of translucent fabric material 16 such as cheese cloth, linen or cotton so as to be fixed to and form a part of these glass plates. This fabric material is white for all the light diffusing plates 15, and may be pasted or otherwise fixed to the back of said plates which are in serted into the raceways with the license plates. The cooperation of the concaved reflector and the translucent sheet, with the light bulbs therebetween, affords reciprocation of the light rays between the sheet and the reflector, thereby diffusing the volume of light equally through the plate numerals. The door has top and bottom extensions 17 for the open end of the raceways, and the door is secured in closed position by a screw rod 18 extending through the casing adjacent to the front thereof,'and each end of the rod is provided with a keeper 19, and the rod issecured by a suitable nut 20. The rod 18 also forms a stay or binder for the top and bottom of the open casing end and prevents the raceways spreading apart. This rod is duplicated at the closed end of the casing for the purpose of bracing this end of the casing.

Suitable hangers 21 are employed for attaching the device to an automobile, and said device may be used onthe front as well as the rear of an automobile.

Obviously the device may be duplicated for holding two or more license plates of various States or Territories and exhibiting the numbers in various colors, or one device may be made to hold and exhibit two license plates in different colors as shown at 22 and 23 in Fig. 4 of the drawings, wherein one door 2-1 affords a closure for both light compartments, and the middle raceway as 27 is made to answer for both upper and lower plates.

Obviously the numerals of the license tags or plates may be made by perforations, or in such other manner as to produce the numerals for diffusion of light therethrough by means of the fabric covered glass plates intervening the light bulbs and. the numerals.

I not not wish to be understood as confining the invention to any particular size or shape, nor to any particular material of which the casing or holder and the license plates may be made, but reserve the right to make such changes and variations in the manufacture and practical application of a sheet of white fabric translucent material secured to and forming a covering for the: back of the glass plate in front of the light,

a concaved reflector back of the light and cooperating with said material for equally diffusing the light through the numerals, and a light-containing holder for said plates.

2. In means for diffusing artificial light through open numerals of a plate such as an automobile license plate, a colored glass plate placed between the lights and the license plate, a concaved reflector, and a sheet of white fabric material secured to and covering the back face of the glass plate, and

coiiperating with said sheet whereby all the numerals are given the same volume of li ht.

3. I11 a device of the character descri ed, a numeral-cut plate, a transparent plate next to the numeral plate, awhite translucent fabric sheet secured to the back of the transparent plate adjacent to an artificial light, a holder forming raceways for said plates and comprising a stop member for the inward movement of the plates, an end door having top and bottom extensions overlapping the front, top and bottom of the raceways, a tie rod extending through the holder adjacent to the open end of the raceways, and keepers pivoted on the rod for overlapping engagement with said extensions with the door in closed position.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY J. MERKLE. Witnesses:

F. T. HARBACH, CATHERINE M. MUCKLE. 

